


Please Remember to Blink

by SunnyShark



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: AU, Aerith works at a flower shop, F/M, Sephiroth is a soldier on leave, and a huge momma's boy, meet cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:14:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26649628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunnyShark/pseuds/SunnyShark
Summary: Sephiroth is shaken by the sight of a lovely woman working in a flower shop.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	Please Remember to Blink

Sephiroth knew he was being creepy. It went with the territory of being over six feet tall, pale as snow, and having cat eyes that glowed. Some things just made him stand out even when he wanted to blend in. He felt foolish trying to blend in with a bundle of lilies as he peered through them at the proprietress of the flower shop he’d entered.

He’d been looking for inspiration for a birthday gift to give his mother. Yes, he was a dutiful son who loved his mother. Thankfully he was too intimidating to be mocked for the fact. Instead, he was commended for his devotion. That devotion had led him into a flower shop to look for a bouquet that would be suitable for his maternal parent.

While he was looming over a bin of white calla lilies he’d caught sight of a beautiful woman wearing an apron with the name of the florist shop. He’d been struck by her earthy beauty. Where he was perceived as godlike, she was angelic.

Her green eyes were as rich as ivy and framed by long lashes that dusted the apples of her cheeks when she blinked. Her skin was peaches and cream tone that flushed as she laughed at something a customer said. Her throat was a long and elegant column that his fingers itched to gently encircle. Gentle curves accentuated her petite form and he knew if he stood next to her he would dwarf her in his shadow. Long and rich brown hair was pulled back into a fanciful braid held in place by a ratty pink kerchief while her bangs framed her oval face.

She was lovely. The kind of beauty that was only appreciated by an artist’s thorough inspection. Sephiroth wasn’t much of an artist, but the way he perceived her made him feel like Rembrandt. The woman was striking in just how overtly goodness seemed to radiate off of her. Like an invisible aura or a drugging perfume, it beckoned him closer.

Instead, he hovered behind flowers and stared at her like a dimwit.

Could he be faulted for being temporarily struck dumb? He was a man who could appreciate finer things. A sunset, a rainbow, a waterfall... The woman was as impressive as any feat of nature. She was the crackling energy of a storm with the peace of a flower-spotted meadow and the warmth of a sunny day.

Her verdant eyes spotted him and he fought back an unfamiliar stroke of what he could only assume was panic. Why on earth would this slip of a thing incite any iteration of fear was beyond him, and yet for possibly the first time in his life he felt the urge to flee.

Pride kept his feet rooted in place as she approached. She smiled up at him, mild curiosity in her expression. “Can I help you?” She asked in a voice as clear and pleasant as the chime of a bell.

Words escaped him. Basic thought eluded him. He was a tactical genius and expert soldier brought low by a flower girl. Truly his shame was insurmountable.

She didn’t seem offended by his lack of speech, instead, she endeavored to make a sale. “Who are you buying flowers for?”

“Mother,” He managed to state, though his tongue felt like it had expanded in his mouth.

“Oh, that’s so sweet! Special occasion?”

“Birthday,” He replied, mildly thrilled that the power of basic speech had returned to him. Up close she was even more overpowering in her allure. He couldn’t take his eyes off her, couldn’t even blink for fear of missing a single moment of time in her presence.

The woman nodded and reached across from him to pull out a few lilies. “These seem to have caught your attention, so I’m guessing she likes them?”

He nodded. In reality, he had no idea what kind of flowers his mother liked.

“She has good taste! Lilies are fragrant and sturdy. Just be sure not to have them in a house with cats. Lilies are toxic to felines”.

“No cats,” He assured her.

“Oh, good! I’d hate to think of any cute kitties being harmed. Would you like me to make up a nice bouquet for your mother? I’m happy to do a custom arrangement, but it will cost a little extra than pre-designed bundles”.

“That would be fine”.

“Great! Just give me a day to whip it up and you can come to get it tomorrow and write up a card. Does that work? Or is this a rush order?” She asked.

He gulped down the lump in his throat so that he could answer. “Tomorrow is acceptable. I look forward to seeing what you create,” He told her with more formality than what was necessary.

She giggled but nodded her agreement. “Okay, great! I’ll see you tomorrow”.

He had to forcefully step away from her orbit and robotically left the shop. People were dodging out of his path on the sidewalk as he moved forward in a daze. His thoughts whirled as he contemplated the flower girl and her curious effect on him.

He was going to be buying a lot more flowers from now on.

**Author's Note:**

> This is pure self-indulgent fluff. I just wanted to show a different reason for Sephiroth being so stiff and formal and to knock him off his game for a change. Don't get me wrong, I love cocky and confident Sephiroth. Sometimes you just want to see that guy knocked low by love, though.
> 
> Please excuse my pathetic editing. I am a writer before an editor.


End file.
